Grimm
by Weretiger Marduk
Summary: Death has come to Jump City.
1. Dust in the Wind

Chapter 1:Dust in the Wind.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans, though the other guy is mine.

It was night on the streets of Jump City, and only the stars shone down on the city. Tonight, the streets were deserted; all the people of Jump curled in their beds with their blankets over their heads. Collectively, they sensed, _knew,_ that something had arrived, as if it was carried on the wind. Then, several forms moved in the shadows. Silent, only the quick, furtive movements of the skilled and dexterous belied their purpose. They were dressed in black, with metal fingers ending in sharp metal claws. The steel around their necks and wrists gleamed in the moonlight, as did the small, stylized S on their chests. They stepped from the alleys, converging on the bank that appeared to be their sole target.

From the roof, a figure watched them. His face fell in shadow, as if the light was afraid to touch it. He watched impassively as the robots infiltrated the bank, expertly disabling the alarms. Bone-white teeth became visible in the shadow, signifying an ominous smile. They emerged from the bank minutes later, circled around a single unit that clutched a plain cardboard box under one arm. They moved in lockstep, perfectly synchronized as they vanished into the shadows.

The shadowed figure followed, appearing on one rooftop after another; always silent, always in shadow. He followed them across the city, towards the docks. They stepped into an abandoned storehouse, the last one looking out before closing the doorway. It did a double take, spying a figure across the street, but before it could do more than narrow its eyes, the figure simply…vanished, no cloud of smoke, no flash of light, no noise. It was as if it had never been. The machine attributed it to a system glitch, did a diagnostic of its systems, and did a scan of the area, finally determining there was no living thing near.

It closed the door, wrapping a heavy chain around the door and padlocking it shut. No key was evident.

On the roof of the storehouse, a shadow detached itself from the rest of those gathered on the roof. The mysterious figure crouched on the edge of the roof, its unnaturally white teeth glinting in the starlight.

The machines took the package to a man who was standing patiently in the center of a multitude of computers and complex equipment. The aged old Asian grabbed it unceremoniously from the robots hands, eliciting a tsking noise from the man who stood behind him.

"Now, now, there's no reason to get angry. You would have been paid handsomely if you had just accepted the commission in the first place." The old man leaned further over his computers, removing a hard drive from the box he held in his hands. "What could you possibly need with a device like this? I object to creating doomsday weapons that will kill me."

"Doctor, you wound me. This device is not meant for you. It was designed with someone far more sturdy in mind." Doctor Chang humphed and turned back to his monitors. "If he doesn't want to work for you, why not just give up? This won't change his mind any more than anything else has." Slade smiled. "You'd be surprised what threatening a few people can make him do. Imagine if I threaten a few thousand."

Both men and all their robot companions looked as a window was shattered behind them. Chang turned back around as the computer monitor creaked.

Leaning on it was a boy of about sixteen, his hair shaven down to a stubble, wearing a black shirt with matching pants and a black leather jacket that looked as if it had seen better days. His black sunglasses reflected Chang's surprised face. He grinned, too-white teeth standing out against his deeply tanned body's darker tones. "Good evening doctor."

All eyes turned to him. Slade's eyes widened in shock, and his machines moved between him and the newcomer. The youth favored Slade with a smile and a nod. "Good evening assassin." Slade's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" The youth grinned again, a too wide smile that was slightly unnerving. "Well, that is a question, isn't it?" His smile vanished from his face, as if in a hurry to be away from it. He sniffed the air. His head turned toward Chang. "you have many deaths on your conscience, and you are not long for this world." He inclined his head toward Slade. "You have many deaths on your hands, and you shall live a little longer."

Slade spoke levelly, though there was an edge to his voice. "Kill him." His robots complied with speed. The youth back-flipped away from them, putting his back to the wall. The machines jumped toward him, surrounding him. He smiled, and there was a rush of…something. A tremor ran through the air, like the shock of a thunderclap without sound, and all noise stopped as though the very earth held its breath.

As one, the machines fell to the ground. The boy stepped over them, walking back toward the two stunned humans. He resumed his place leaning on the monitor. He shook his head, a slight smile on his lips. "Machines, so unreliable." He grinned again, doing the Cheshire Cat proud. As he spoke, the computers shut down, apparently robbed of their power. Looking at the young man who stood before him apprehensively, he leaned back and looked at his power cords.

They were plugged in perfectly, still connected to the wall. There was no reason for them to cease to function. He walked around the now still machines, patting Chang lightly on the shoulder. The doctor stiffened in his chair, not moving a muscle. As the boy sat on the edge of the tables, he looked at Slade appraisingly from behind his glasses, his eyes indiscernible.

"You seek death on me." It was not a question. Slade nodded. "Obviously. You have cost me a small fortune tonight." The boy smiled indifferently. "What fortune is worth your life?" Slade lifted an eyebrow, confused. "Are you threatening me?" The boy nodded, still holding his slight smile. Slade chuckled. "Forgive me if I am skeptical." This time the boy lifted an eyebrow. Without preamble, he spun around the chair that Chang was in.

The doctor's face was the epitome of pain, frozen there as if he was carved from stone. "I told him he was not long for the world."

Slade was shocked. It was impossible. "you have the power to-" The boy nodded, his ever-present smile suddenly sending chills down Slade's spine. For the first time in his life, he was truly afraid. And just as suddenly, the boy was inches from him.

"There is an immortal here, frozen by their own power, locked away for eternity in a prison of their own power." He nonchalantly punched Slade in the thigh as he tried to step back. With a cry, Slade fell to the ground, holding his leg with both hands and staring at the creature in front of him in horror. "Where? Where can I find them? What fortune is your life worth?"

Slade nodded in understanding. "You want Terra. The one who killed me once." He nodded. "Where?" Slade shook his head. "She is in a cave, wrapped in stone. There are those who could lead you to her." The boy loomed over the fallen assassin. "You will take me to them." In his voice was…power. A power as timeless as the universe. A power that spoke of untold eons.

He waved his hand over Slade, and the man screamed and clutched his leg as it convulsed. After a moment, he stood shakily. He walked to the door, a key sliding from a hidden compartment in his glove. He unlocked the door and stepped into the night. He pointed across the bay. "They live there." The boy looked out across the bay to the giant building that sat on a small island in the center of the bay. The boy smiled again, and when Slade turned to see him, the newcomer was atop a nearby building.

Slade watched as the figure disintegrated, starting from the feet, until he disappeared, carried as dust on the wind.


	2. Grimm

Chapter 2:Grimm

Disclaimer: I don't own teen titans.

For the audience: Have you figured out yet who he is? If not, then you'll have to wait for more clues. Review me and give me your guesses.

The Teen Titans were gathered in the living room of their tower for breakfast. Each was indulging in their preferences, being a weekend, and they were simply enjoying the morning off. Cyborg and Beast Boy were wolfing down cereal while trying to play their games one-handed. Starfire was sneaking some of Beast Boy's tofu and trying to eat it wrapped in bacon, Raven was sipping her favorite herbal tea, and Robin was eating a bagel while he read the newspaper.

Their reverie was interrupted when robin called. "Look at this." He read a headline off to them. "Known Felon found dead on city hall doorstep." The titans were shocked. Beast Boy grabbed the paper, bringing it closer to his face. "what does it mean, 'dead'? Dead, dead?" Robin snatched back the paper, nodding irritably. "There's only one kind of dead, Beast Boy. Listen: "Wanted criminal Doctor Chang was found dumped on the steps of city hall friday morning. Doctor Chang was wanted for over 120 individual crimes, ranging from assault to Grand theft. He was found by the clean-up crew Friday morning as they came to open City hall for business. An official autopsy has yet to confirm the cause of death."

Starfire looked around. "I am perplexed. Is not an 'autopsy' a method for your scientists to determine why a person is dead?" Robin nodded. "Apparently, they can't find one, or they don't want to say what they found. I think we should go see the coroner about this." There was a collective groan, though the Titans were by now too interested to simply let the matter rest.

They piled onto their vehicles and made a trip down to the morgue. The coroner seemed a bit relieved to see them. The woman seemed to be a little young for the job, but she carried an air of competence about her. "I'm kind of glad you came down here; I'm at my wits end. I was about to call you soon, anyway." Robin, as the team's leader, spoke for them. "What happened?" the coroner shook her head. "You'll see."

They reached the storage room and she pulled out a tray from the storage locker. On the roll-out table was Doctor Chang. "As you can see, there's not a scratch on him. Apart from a slightly elevated amount of adrenaline in his body he was fine. Ther's no evidence of heart failure, brain aneurism, or any other condition that could have triggered this." They stood around the table, silent. After a moment, Raven spoke up. "Can I have a moment with the body?" The coroner looked at her for a moment, then nodded. Beast Boy shivered. "Let's go miss. You don't want to stick around for this. Why don't you show me where the snack machines are?"

When they had gone, Raven placed a hand over The former Doctor Chang's mouth. Softly, she recited several words under her breath. "Necrote Morbix Mortis." A black glow settled from her hand into the cadaver's mouth. For an instant nothing happened. Then the mouth began to move. The tongue wagged inside the mouth, while it opened and closed several times. Finally, it spoke.

"What do you seek?" The voice was like a whisper, seeming to die on the air that bore it. "I seek to know your death." The mouth moved in the mockery of a smile. "It was complete. He stuck out his hand and I died, as he did ages ago to the first born of the slave's masters." "Who?" The corpse made a coughing noise, and Raven supposed it might have been trying to laugh. "Death," it simply said.

The Titans were seated in the lunge when Raven entered the room. Silently, she shook her head. "Nothing helpful." Robin shrugged and they continued speaking with the coroner. "so there was no cause of death. No evidence of foul play, no physical condition, nothing that could explain this." The coroner shook her head. "One thing I was able to determine was that his liver's temperature had dropped to room temperature in the time it had taken him to be found, meaning that the body had been dead for some time, or that there was a sudden decrease of temperature to room temperature. It was also interesting to see an advanced case of rigor mortis in the body." Starfire looked confused, so she elaborated.

"Rigor mortis is when the body becomes firm after its dead, but that usually takes time."

Beast Boy shuddered. "So he could have been dead for a couple of days before he was dumped on city hall's doormat?" The coroner shook her head. "That's what's so weird. A body simply doesn't show these signs without other, obvious signs along with them. If the body had been frozen for any length of time, it would show frozen particles **somewhere** in the body; not to mention a much lower body temperature. If it had simply been left out, it would be well into the degradation process, but this cadaver shows almost no rot." She shook her head again. "It's as if the body went from alive to dead in moments, skipping all the normal requirements of dying. Despite his age, he was healthy. There's no reason for him to be dead."

Robin checked his watch. "Well, I'm sorry we can't be of more help, but we have matters that need attending to." The coroner nodded. "Good luck to you." As they left the morgue, the Titans were quiet. They made their way back to the Tower.

When they arrived, they noticed that a small package waited for them outside of their door. After a routine scan for bombs, nuclear devices, chemical weapons, and puppets, they brought it in for inspection. Inside was a single black cell phone. Robin reached into the box and picked it up. The phone slid open with a click, extending a mere inch. On the screen was a picture of the Titans, laughing and enjoying a pizza together. "who sent that?" Cyborg shook his head. "No clue, B. The box doesn't have a return address."

They stood around the phone, contemplating it. They all gave a little start as it rang. Robin hit the answer button, not recognizing the number. "Hello?"

"Robin, what a pleasure to hear from you." The voice that came over the speakerphone was a familiar one, but they were shocked to hear it nonetheless. The Boy Wonder's eyes narrowed. "Slade. What do you want?" The voice never lost its even quality, but Robin thought he could detect a hint of…unease from his nemesis. "I have something important to tell you Robin. It concerns our friend, the good doctor. And before you ask, I didn't do it. What killed him was far more…sinister, than I." Robin shrugged. So tell me. There was the slightest of chuckles on the other line. "Ever the untrusting one. But my words are something you should heed well. What walks among your city's sheep kills with a touch. I don't know the full extent of his power, but suffice to say that there will be no criminals that I know on the streets at night."

"Oh, before I forget, he seemed especially interested in an old friend of yours." "Who?" "You know her well. She was such a good citizen that a statue was erected in her honor after she defeated a notorious villain by her own hand." Beast Boy gasped. "Terra."

"Quite so. I would investigate her tomb if I were you. Just, do it during the day; sunlight has a way of making us feel safer." The phone went dead and there was a dial tone. Beast Boy looked at Robin. "I think we should go check it out." Robin nodded reluctantly. "We've got a few hours before it gets dark, let's go see."

They climbed into the T-car, shortly arriving at the cave that marked Terra's final act of bravery. The trip was silent, each member thinking on their last visit here. As they climbed out of the car, Beast Boy sniffed the air. In a panicked voice, he said "there's someone in there. They smell like grave dirt." They approached the entrance cautiously, moving as silently as possible. Beast Boy's ears perked up, and Cyborg showed them the sonic tracker on his arm. He held up a single finger.

Robin nodded and they moved inside the cave. They saw a slim figure with his back to them, sitting in front of the living statue that was Terra and conversing with it like an old friend. Around the statue's neck was a wreath of black roses. The voice was little more than a whisper, but it echoed through the cave like a shout.

"I'm still impressed at your strength. Not many could become one with their strengths so completely." He seemed to check his watch. "Well, my lady, I must take my leave, your friends are here, and they are not quite so adept at escaping death as you." He turned, shadows falling across his face. "Welcome Titans. It was indeed gratifying to see signs pointing directly at this place. I must confess, I was making haste for your residence when I spotted them. I then had no need of you."

"Who are you and what do you want with Terra?" in the darkness, there was a flash of bone-white teeth. "Why, merely to pay my respects, of course. How often does one get to meet an immortal? As for my name, most just usually call me Grimm." The titans looked at him with confusion. "What do you mean, immortal? Terra's just, Terra." The youth before them shook his head. "Not anymore. When she consumed herself, she didn't die. She's merely trapped in a sort of stasis, as immortal and timeless as the stone itself." He smiled again. "It has been an interesting conversation, to say the least. But I must take my leave, the sun sets soon."

"Wait!" Beast Boy's shout surprised them all. "You know what happened to her. You must know how to fix her." The boy seemed genuinely surprised. "Why would I want to? She has done nothing to merit death. No, I think not." He walked past the collective Titans calmly, his face never leaving shadow.

Beast Boy could not have asked for a better target. The Beast's claws cut through the stranger's spine, dropping him to the floor. The other Titans watched in horror as The changed boy tore into the stranger, mangling the body. All the time there was silence. The fallen figure never screamed, never moaned, never gave so much as a whimper as he was torn apart.

When there was no longer a piece big enough for the Beast to rend, he slumped to the ground. An anguished howl ripped from his throat. The howl died as he slowly shifted back into human. He looked at the others with dull eyes. Cyborg was the first to move. "Let's get out of here. This place is a grave." The others nodded and departed to the relative safety of their Tower.

It was night, and a new moon shone down in the mouth of a cave. Inside, a torn figure lay. Off in the distance, the clock struck midnight. Imperceptibly, an uneasy wind blew up. In the cave, something moved.

A hand, severed at the elbow, dragged itself to the torn bicep it had formerly been attached to. A foot inched it's way toward a lower calf. Piece by bloody piece, a ravaged body pieced itself back together in the moonlight. In the dark, the completed body rose. One hand searched the ground for a pair of sunglasses. Finding them broken, the newly risen boy cursed. "I liked that pair." He stepped into the mouth of the cave, illuminated by moonlight. His unblemished, tanned skin gave no hint to the damage he had taken at the hands of the Beast that had attacked him. The only feature that set him apart was the blue flames that burned within an eyeless face. His voice once again held many pitches, the voice of countless dead. "If an eye offends thee, pluck it out," he murmured. "And I feel that my green eye hath offended me greatly indeed."

Whew! Chapter 2 done. R&R if you like, this is my stress relief story, so I really don't care if you like it or not.


	3. The Crucifix Home

Chapter 3: The Crucifix Home

Disclaimer: I only own Grimm.

It was noon in Jump City. A heat wave had spread over the city, bringing with it the humidity of the sea. Even during the lunch hour, few people moved through the streets, an almost forgotten instinct warning them that something much more terrible than themselves had arrived. In the mall, only tight knit groups of friends or gang members walked the halls. Even they glanced around nervously, looking over their shoulder whenever they passed a corner.

Only one boy walked alone. Wherever he stepped, there was a wide berth. No one commented on this, nor the fact that the boy had his eyes closed. No one looked his way as he strode purposefully toward a kiosk that displayed several dozen pairs of sunglasses. The Middle-Eastern man jumped when he cleared his throat, as if he hadn't seen him approach.

"Yis?" His accent was heavy, but the boy had no apparent problem understanding him. "I need the darkest pair you have." The man smiled. The boy, as if he could see through his eyelids, smiled back. The man selected a pair, proffering them to the boy. He shook his head.

"No plastic frames. I want wire, the thicker the better." The vendor was slightly unnerved that the boy could tell with his eyes closed, but plastered the grin on his face and went on. A customer was a customer, after all. He handed the next pair to the boy who took them quickly, placing the newly acquired wrap-arounds over his eyes. He smiled again, and turned as if to leave. "Hy! You pay now!" The boy looked at him for a moment, as if considering something.

"You are not long for this world." The man felt a shiver run down his spine at these words, but he still lacked money. Isn't that how America worked? Service for money?

The man shook his head. "Pay now!" The boy sighed. Then he smiled and pointed up. The man was confused for a moment, then he brightened in understanding. He looked up.

The cable that held one of the powerful lights that illuminated mall during nighttime gave way with a snap. The vendor had just long enough to see it coming before it crushed him. The boy sighed as the screaming started. "Always the screams."

He stepped over the wrecked kiosk, squatting next to the man. Surprisingly, he was still alive, moaning quietly. The boy sighed again. "Told you." He reached out and patted the man's hand in a friendly manner. "Don't worry, though. It's all over now." At his touch, the moans ceased and the hand went limp, hitting the floor with a wet thud.

The boy, now equipped with his sunglasses, walked out of the mall, right past the running paramedics. They scooted around him without acknowledging him, as if he was no more than a ghost.

Across the water, the clock chimed seven. The Titans were gathered in their living room. Beast Boy sat in one chair, while four others were arranged in a semi-circle in front of him. They appeared to have been talking for some time. "So we come back to where we started. Why did you attack him, Beast Boy?" The miserable green Titan shook his head. "I told you, I was just so frustrated with his attitude. The Beast welled up inside me, and I was so angry I didn't want to stop it."

Robin shook his head. "I'm not sure what to do. He was obviously not human; therefore, the definition of homicide doesn't apply to him. We can't, however, allow you run rampant like that. What would happen if you did that with civilians around? You could hurt someone, or get the team taken off the city's hero retainer list."

Just then, the alarm blared. "Titans, go!" As Beast boy leapt up after his friends, Robin shook his head. "You're gonna sit this one out, Beast Boy. We'll be back shortly." The young Titan sighed, walking disheartened to his room to sleep. The Titans sped off to the rescue once again.

As they made their way to the city, a solitary figure walked up onto the sandy beach from the water. Totally soaked from head to foot, he pulled a dead and withered strand of seaweed from his shoulder. "Ew." He walked towards the Titans Tower, black sunglasses glinting in the pale sunlight.

He walked towards the large doors, not bothering to try to open them. Instead, he became one with them, absorbing himself into the very steel they were made of.

Instantly, a change overcame the tower, as well as the island it rested upon. All of the living things on the islet died, withering away to almost nothing. The tower, a bastion of light and a symbol of good, took on an eerie presence, as a place that had long since been abandoned.

In minutes, the cheerful dwelling place of the Titans, lit from within, darkened. The lights winked out, one after the other. Silkie, Starfire's pet, was attempting to open the fridge when the lights went out. With a cry, it ran from the room.

The hallway was safe for the little creature for only a moment.

The light at the end of the hallway winked out, and the creature turned to stare at it for only a second before it turned and ran in the opposite direction with a shrill animal scream. One by one, the lights went out, following the mutant bug. It fled as fast as its legs would carry it, shrieking all the while.

Slowly, inexorably, the lights began catching up to it. As it neared the end of a hallway, it turned down an intersection, heading for the only other occupant of the tower: Beast Boy.

The little bug's screams awakened him from his sleep. He rolled over hoping it would shut up and leave him to his misery.

The little creature slammed against his door, it's shrill cry plaintive. It scratched at the door fervently as the darkness swept closer, a silent black wave. The last light in front of the Titan's door snapped off.

Recognizing it's cries as fear, Beast Boy sprang from his bed and fumbled with the latch. On the other side, Silkie was curled up against the door, as if it could squeeze through the gap under the door. There was a rush of almost-noise, like a thunderclap without sound. Silkie gave one final scream, then fell silent.

Beast Boy threw open the door to a lit hallway. He began to step out of his room when his foot hit something soft. Looking down, he beheld Silkie, as cold as the grave itself, already firm in the grip of death.

Beast Boy heard a noise behind him, and he turned to see a hauntingly familiar face standing only inches away from him. He staggered backward, tripping over Silkie to land on the floor, where he began crawling backwards. "No, no way." The figure nodded. "Way." Beast Boy flinched at the voice; or rather, voices. The boy standing before him spoke with many voices, all full of sadness, despair, and desperate loss. The sound of it gripped his heart, stopping him cold.

The boy he had killed stepped toward him. He smiled, all teeth. "You were not meant to die so soon, but you have no further great purpose in the world. Your role will be filled by others. You will not die as quickly as I." Beast Boy the lights went out and one scream echoed through the halls of the Titans Tower, and it was abruptly silenced.

The Titans made their way back to the tower, parking their respective vehicles in the garage before making their way into the tower. Raven and Starfire stopped outside the threshold of the tower. The taller tameranian shivered, hugging herself.

"Something is not right with our home." Raven nodded. "It's tainted." Robin lifted one eyebrow. "can you be more specific?" The two girls shook their heads. Cyborg shrugged. "Maybe it's because B turned out all the lights." He pointed at the junction at the top of the tower. "I think there's something up there. Star, can you go see?"

Starfire nodded and flew upwards. Seconds later, they were all shocked to hear her scream. Cyborg and Robin felt themselves lifted into the air by Raven and they flew to Starfire's side.

"Star, what's wro-" robin stopped in mid-sentence. Hanging from two open windows, Beast Boy was crucified, the glass smashed out of their panes and what looked like video game controllers cutting into the flesh of his arms as they were tied around the windowsill. All over his body, there were bruises and slashes, as if he had been in a terrible battle.

He smiled weakly, coughing. The Titans were horrified to see a spray of blood as he coughed. "H-Hey guys, just thought I'd hang around until you came back." He groaned, and the smile vanished from his face.

Galvanized into action, robin began issuing orders. "Raven, hold him up. Starfire, get those cords off him. Cyborg, go in through the window and prep the medbay." The other Titans moved to carry out his orders, and their green comrade was soon laying unconscious in the medical room, wired to numerous machines.

Through the night, at least one Titan kept a vigil by the boy's bed. Near midnight, as Raven sat by his side, Beast Boy stirred.

"Raven, there's something I want to say." Raven held his hand. "Shh. You should be resting, You'll need your energy to recover." He shook his head. "We both better." A racking cough seized him, and he spit blood onto the blankets he was covered with. "I just wanted to know that, from the time we first met, I thought you were the most- beautiful thing I'd ever seen." More coughing caused him to whisper his next words.

"Terra was my friend, but there was only one person I ever truly felt something for." A massive shudder went through his body, and he grabbed Raven's cloak with one hand, the seizing muscles giving him a strange strength. "Raven, I l-lo-" Blood trickled from his mouth, an undeniable sign of internal bleeding. He fell back onto the bed, as if the strength to hold himself up had left him. He tried again, with the last of his strength.

"Raven, I love you." Then he snarled, a feral noise of an animal in pain. His back arched, and he gave a shudder; then he fell back onto the bed, exhaling softly.

Raven put one of his hands to her cheek. "I love you, too, Gar." She had never spoken his true name before, yet somehow it felt right.

Cyborg stepped quietly into the room. Without a word, he put his hand on her shoulder. She sat there a minute, then she rose, turning and hugging Cyborg fiercely. "He's gone." She could only nod bitterly, and as she began to sob, Cyborg put a comforting arm around her.

Beast Boy was buried on the island he had called home for so long with the Titans. His grave was marked with a large granite headstone, on which words were engraved.

Beast Boy

Selfless Brave Honorable

No Better Friend No Worse Enemy

R.I.P. Friend.

As the Titans gathered around his grave, Robin spoke. "Beast Boy was a good friend. I could never have asked for a better teammate." They looked at him as his voice hardened. "And I swear on his grave, that I will do everything I can to avenge him."

The Titans gathered around their leader. "C'mon, Titans, we have a job to do."

Wow! That's some big words he's spoutin'. Will Robin and the other Titans be able to defeat Grimm? Or will they be consumed by more than a quest for vengeance? And have any of you figured out yet who exactly he is? Drop me a line and let me know.


	4. Dark Eye Blinded

Chapter 4: Dark Eye Blinded

Disclaimer: I don't own teen Titans.

It was Sunday, but there was no relaxing for the Titans. All of them felt the death of their teammate deeply, and they toiled ceaselessly to catch the criminal who had killed him.

Strangely, they had more time to devote to this task than they had believed. All across the city, there was silence. All of the villains seemed to be in hiding, with only the desperate or stupid crooks walking the streets. These run-of-the-mill criminals were swiftly dealt with, and the titans returned to their tower, once again a bright bastion of strength and justice.

In the subway systems, there was a spot unknown to normal citizenry; a place that the city's villains knew could be occupied in an emergency. Each of the villains who knew of its existence had contributed to it, some stocking it withy supplies, while others carved it out of the very earth. It was designed to comfortably hold a great many villains, in fact all of those who knew it was there. It was currently filled to capacity.

In a central room, a sort of grand hall, the numerous villains had congregated to socialize, awaiting the arrival of the final member. There was silence as a familiar dark figure took the stage. "Good afternoon to you all. We all have heard the rumors by now, I'm sure. I am here to assure you that every single one of them is true." The flat, cool voice shocked them all with his words.

" For perhaps the first time, Jump City has a new arrival that overshadows us all. No matter how physically strong we are, he will be stronger. No matter how fast we are, he will be faster. And no matter how varied our skills, he will always be one step ahead of us."

He looked around the hall, at the disbelieving faces. "You all know me, at least by reputation. And I tell you that I am afraid."

This declaration had the desired effect. All at once the massed villains began speaking. They all knew that Slade feared nothing living, and that he would admit that this thing frightened him was all the proof they needed that there was something terribly wrong.

Slade held up his hand and the hall quieted. "Time and again, we have been bested by the defenders of this city, the Teen Titans. No matter how we despise them, we all respect their strength. It has always been a sort of trial, to best them." There were nods from the crowd.

"Beast Boy is dead."

The crowd was shocked to silence. "He died yesterday of injuries inflicted on him by our newcomer."

On the wall behind them, a magnified image showed the young green Titan, beaten and crucified, hanging on the city side wall of the tower.

All around the halls, there were gasps and cries of shock. Someone fainted. After a moment, another set of images appeared. They were an aerial view of Steel City, where the Titans East dwelled. Silence reigned in the room at the horrifying pictures of lifeless people laying in the streets, hanging from windows, even in cars.

Police vehicles appeared to have been tossed around with an almost childlike abandon, some sticking from nearby buildings while others lie on the streets, resting on the wrong sides.

But it was photos of the Tower that shocked them the most. There was no simple damage to it. It looked like a place haunted. Windows were shattered, and the top of the tower missing, nowhere to be seen. The entire tower was little more than a hulk, appearing forgotten by the years.

At the foot of the tower, the Titans East were assembled with a gruesome finality.

Mas y Menos were side by side, but their adjoining arms were several feet away. Their eyes stared into the sky, an expression of terrible pain on their faces.

Aqualad was cut open from collarbone to waist, his internal organs gone.

Bumblebee lay face down, one of her own weapons almost severing her head from her shoulders.

Speedy was impaled face down on his own bow, his trademark arrows piercing both hands as well as his eyes.

Slade's voice rang over the assembly. "This was taken three days ago." At his voice, the slides changed, showing a bustling, thriving city. "This was taken less than a week ago."

The gravity of the situation hit them, and there was pandemonium. Some began a struggle to leave the shelter, while others merely sat in their seats and cried.

There was a shrill whistle, and everyone turned to see Mammoth on the stage. "Well, when you're all done with your panty wetting party, let me know." He nodded in satisfaction when the collected criminals sat back down, some visibly shaking, others hastily wiping tears from their eyes.

"now, I don't know about you guys, but Jump is my home. We always fought each other and the Titans for turf here, and I ain't about to let this punk kick me out." He waved a hand vaguely behind him. "Yeah, we see those pictures, and he wiped out the city, but they ain't got no real villains there, just a bunch o' wannabes. I'm gonna fight, and if we all fight, then there's no way he's gonna get all of us."

A voice came from the crowd. "But what about the ones he does get? I don't wanna die." There was a chorus of agreements. Mammoth shrugged. "I ain't got all the answers, but if we can work like a team, like them Titans, we can cover each others' backs."

The sense of this was made apparent to the villains, and before long the projector was working overtime as the former plunderers of Jump City set about working to defend their home.

In the tower, Raven was meditating. Her mind traveled over Jump City, born on wings of power. She made her way to city hall. _It all started there. Or did it?_ Next to her a ghostly figure hovered. _Come child, I will show you the way. _ The former doctor Chang floated beside her; leading her from the city hall to a lonely warehouse on the docks. Inside, a scene began to act itself out. In her minds eye, Raven saw what transpired the night that Grimm came to Jump City. She watched the death of Chang, and as she did, she caught the essence of his aura, and was repulsed.

_What is he? He has more power than I've ever seen… More power than even Trigon. _Reluctantly, Raven memorized the 'feel of him'. Chang smiled beside her. _Now you know. Find him for us, for yourselves. _

Raven opened her eyes. Chang was gone, his purpose fulfilled. Raven repositioned herself, taking a deep breath, then cast herself out again. She flew through Jump City, and before long, she spotted traces of the aura she sought. She investigated, following the trail throughout the city. She traveled through the parks, the malls, even downtown before she found him.

He was seated on a bed in a small hotel room with his eyes closed, the same essence that had been present at the cave, the same presence that had surged through the tower, and the same presence felt on Beast Boy when they had found him. "Impossible." His eyes snapped open and he looked at her. Instantly, she felt the connection to her body twang, like a rope pulled taut. She rushed back to the safety of her body away from him.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The voice nearly caused her to faint then and there.

"Why so skittish?" A familiar face was inches from hers when she opened her eyes and scooted away, coming to a stop in front of her bed.

One eyebrow lifted behind the ever-present sunglasses, and he took a step forward. "it really is rude to spy on someone like that, little bird." He grinned, all gums and bone-white teeth. "So you know me know, do you, little bird? You think you can see me?" He shook his head. "We can't have that, now can we?" As he reached for her, his hand resembled nothing so much as a skeletal claw.

Robin was hard at work in his study when he heard Raven scream. Instantly, he was up from his chair, sprinting down the halls. As he ran, he fell into step with Cyborg and Starfire. "We heard friend Raven and we came as fast as we could."

They hit the door to Raven's room hard enough to knock it down, allowing a shaft of light to enter. Raven sat on the floor, her hands covering her face. She was crying, her hands stained a dark color. On the floor, a pair of dark sunglasses lay within reach of her hands. Robin knelt next to her. "Raven, what happened?" She moved her face away from his, into the shadow of the door jam.

"He took them. He took them and left me those glasses in their place." Robin grabbed her arms, swinging her hands, and her face still covered by them, to face him. "Who? Who was in here?"

Raven moved her hands from her face, and the other Titans recoiled in horror. Her eyes had been gouged out, and blood dripped from the empty sockets. "He's in the tower, Robin."

"Where? Where is the bastard?"

She shook her head. "**In** the tower, Robin. He's so much more powerful than you could possibly believe."

Back in his little motel room, Grimm smiled, holding two small orbs in his hand. "We couldn't have that at all, could we?" Slowly, he squeezed Raven's eyes in his palm. His smile vanished. "they will die, as all must eventually."

In the streets, at last, there was movement. Along the alleys, through the shops, crept a multitude of shadows. In teams, they moved on the one place that unmistakably held their foe; a building that was occupied, yet looked as if it should be condemned. All around it, other buildings were taking on the same unmistakable air, as if slowly, brick by brick, they were decaying, dying piece by piece.


	5. Dead City

Chapter 5: Dead City

Disclaimer: I don't own teen Titans.

Grimm rose. He hadn't been sleeping, exactly, but that was as close as mortals could understand it. He smiled slightly to himself. Placing his glasses on his face, he stepped into the hallway. "Good evening gentlemen."

Johhny Rancid, Gizmo, and Doctor Light simply stood there shocked; hidden behind Gizmo's newest invention, stealth fields. There was no way he could've known where they were; was there?

the question was answered for them as the teenaged terror calmly reached out and snapped Rancid's neck in one hand. Gizmo and Professor Light retreated down the stairs, calling for support.

Grimm hummed a tune to himself as he turned, unhurried, up the stairs and towards the roof. He opened the stairwell door and stepped into the cloudless night. He breathed deeply, taking in the crisp night air. he leaned his head to the side, as if he was thinking on something, and the laser barely passed him, less than an inch from his head. He stood, illuminated by the moonlight, facing off with Killer Moth and his daughter, who wore some kind of power armor. The laser mounted on her arm was still smoking. He blurred for an instant, moving unbbelievably fast. Father and daughter coughed, spitting blood onto the rooftop. First one, then the other looked at their chests, registering a moment of shock at the arm that was inserted into their chests. Grimm pulled his arms out of their bodies, and they fell to the ground.

He stepped off of the rooftop, landing on his feet in front of a door. It opened a second later, but there was no one on the inside to see. Gizmo and Doctor Light froze when they saw who was standing in the way. They began slowly sneaking back into the hotel when he disappeared.

Gizmo heard metal being torn, then felt droplets of something wet hit the side of his face. He looked over, moving only his eyes, and saw one of his robotic legs shoved through Light's head. His keen mind was already working on a problem. _I need all four of my legs to stand_. I_f one of my legs is torn off, what's holding me... oh-no._ He turned his head hesitantly, already knowing what he would see.

Grimm smiled at him, one arm bearing the weight the sundered leg should have been supporting. He patted Gizmo on the head, smiling like an approving older brother. Gizmo went slack, and Grimm let him fall to the floor.Looking at the floor, he took a step back glancing at his wrist as if he was checking a watch.

the floor exploded upward, and several robots jumped out, searching for their target. In the tunnel created by Fixit's robots, Mammoth, Jinx, and Fixit waited on the machines to move. Jinx turned as she heard the sound of something hitting the floor. Behind her, Grimm stood smiling, holding Fixit's head in one hand. Jinx grabbed Mammoth's arm, throwing hex-bolts in a circle around her. She and Mammoth scrambled over the rubble to reach the street. Jinx faced the building, hurling dozens of hex bolts at the hotel, collapsing it onto the teenage nightmare. then she grabbed Mammoth's arm and they ran into the abandoned streets of jump City.

The Teen Titans sat hunched over the console, staring at a bank of computer moniters, observing the city through electronic eyes. "What is wrong? Why are not the people doing things?" Starfire asked the question that haunted the minds of all of the Titans. Robin shook his head. "I don't know, Star. Something's not right. We need to be there, we need to make sure the citry is okay." He turned to the others.

"Alright. Star, we're going to make a sweep of the city, find out what's going on, then report back here." He looked at Cyborg. "Cy, you need to stay here with Raven. Keep her safe, and activate the Tower's automate defenses if something happens." Cyborg nodded, clasping robin's arm. "Be careful." He hugged Starfire before saying the same to her. Together, the two made their way to the hangar, making ready to leave for the city.

At the same time, in the rubble of a destroyed hotel, something stirred. A hand, scraped and bleeding, pushed itself out of the concrete and plaster that had been the building. The single arm lifted a large piece of concrete, throwing it off of the pile and across the street, revealing a mildly injured and extremely pissed off Grimm. "Another pair of sunglasses gone." The blue fireballs that sat in his eye sockets flickered malevolently.

"This town is beginnig to irritate me." He looked toward the sky, and clouds rolled across the sky, swift and dark, blotting out the sun.

The day darkened, until it was as dark as an eclipse. Lightning rumbled through the sky, threatening with it's presence, yet not falling to the earth. the flames in Grimm's eyes glowed brightly, and there was a blinding flash of light.

Robin and Starfire covered their eyes as a flash of blue light swept over the city, just as they had landed on the docks. Robin threw himself in Starfire's direction, riding her to the ground. A tingling sensation swept over the two. they stood after a moment, trying to adjust their eyes.

"Robin, what was that?" Robin shook his head mutely, rubbing his eyes. Together they marched into the city, keeping close together. Overhead, raindrops began to fall.

Mammoth and Jinx sat huddled in a newspaper stand. They had decided to take refuge here shortly after the rain had started. At first they had attempted to push onward, but the raindrops had cut through their clothes like icy knives, the rain being almost like minute hailstones cutting into their skin.

So they sat there, burning some of the papers in an attempt to drive of the chill.

They had both cast off the stealth units given to them by Gizmo, the unit having shorted out in the rain.

Jinx had suggested keeping them in the hopes that they could be repaired, but Mammoth had argued against it.

"It'll just slow you down, and it's not like they were any help anyway." That had ended the discussion.

A couple of hours later, with the rain showing no sign of abating, Jinx began to feel restless. "I don't like this, I feel like we're being watched." Mammoth nodded. "I know. I can almost smell something, but the rain is washing away the scent before I can figure it out." jinx hugged her legs to her chest. "I wish that-" she paused, looking at Mammoth sideways, not wanting to finish.

"You wish **he **were here?" He gave her a lopsided grin. "I know about you and the Titan. I saw you and him at the dance back at the Hive." He ruffled her hair. "Kid, I'll always look at you as my sister. You were about the only one besides Gizmo who didn't make fun of me." Jinx nodded, remembering simpler times. "I think maybe we should look for the Titans," she said hesitantly. "there's no way that they would throw us out, they're the good guys." Mammoth nodded. "Good idea. Maybe they have somethin' to eat, too." Jinx grinned for the first time in days at the sound of her friend's stomach rumbling. "How can you think of food at a time like this?"

He shrugged."I can't run for my life on an empty stomach."

A cold voice came from outside the newspaper stand. "Then maybe you can just sit there while I kill you."

Grimm stepped from the back of the stand, his footsteps silent as a ghost's. "You and all your friends had no reason to attempt to end my life, though I must admit, it was a daring gambit." He shook his head. "Did no one explain to you that you cannot defeat an aspect of creation at their own purpose? You can no more end my life than I can create it."

Mammoth wasted no words. He grabbed Jinx, holding her to his massive chest, then shouldered through the side of the stand, breaking out onto the street. He took off, setting her next to him on the ground. Jinx never missed a beat, her feet already in motion when she struck pavement. They sprinted down the street, turning the corner and fleeing into the apartments and condos that lined the side of the street. "C'mon," Jinx shouted over the rain. "We'll lose him in here."

Only a block away, Robin and Starfire heard the sound of wood breaking and a girl's voice shouting a short distance away. robin touched Starfire's shoulder and she nodded. Together they moved down the sidewalk towards the voice.

Grimm was enjoying himself. Since discovering that these so-called 'meta-humans' were tools of his cousin Fate, beyond his ability to pass to their hereafter, he had to kill them the old fashioned way. He would really have to speak to the High One about that at the next turn of the millenium, he decided. Meanwhile, he was still enjoying his sport.

Robin and Starfire moved silently through the halls of the dingy apartment building, searching for any sign of who had yelled earlier. Starfire looked at Robin. "Perhaps we should search some of the rooms here," suggested Starfire. "Maybe who we seek is hiding in one of them." Robin nodded. "Not a bad idea." He turned and opened the door nearest him. "Hello? Is there anyone the-"

Robin stopped mid-sentence. Starfire stepped into the room and gasped. The bodies of two adults and a child were laying on the floor. It didn't look as though they had been murdered, but as if they had simply laid down to sleep where they had stood. Behind them, a table with breakfast still on it sat waiting, untouched. Starfire began to cry, and robin held her as they stood, helpless to help the city they had sworn to protect.

Suddenly, Robin saw a shadow move on the wall of the hallway. He spun Starfire around, and she wiped her eyes, a starbolt appearing in her fist. A teenage girl walked around the corner, her eyes wary as she surveyed them. "What are you doing in my house?" They were suprised to hear that her voice was scratchy, like someone who had been yelling for hours. "We're here to find out what's going on. Who are you?"

The girl gave a swift grunt, one that might have been a chuckle in a less damaged voice. "It's pretty obvious what's 'going on' around here." She waved her hand vaguely in the direction of the family; her family, Robin supposed. "Everywhere is like this. No reason, no explanation. Just dead." She smiled humorlessly. "So, what can you do?" they looked at her quizically.

She sighed, a not altogether pleasant sound. "Surely you've noticed. the only ones who survive are the ones who can do something. **Something special**." She leaned against the doorjam. "You're the Teen titans, right?" She nodded before they could speak. "You have to be, you're the only ones who wear costumes that would have been outside the blast."

"What blast?" Robin was slightly on edge now. "you mean that flash of light?" She nodded,then pointed at Robin. "I know what she does, but no one has ever seen you show a power before. What is it?" Robin shrugged. "I don't have a power." She shook her head. "You felt the tingle, right? that was his power washing over you. Only weird people survived that." She shrugged again. "We'll ask Nancy, but first I've got to find the others."

"What others?" She didn't answer, the girl simply brushed by them and headed out of the apartment and down the hall, opening the door. they noticed that she had a small duffel bag over one shoulder.

As they started to follow, they heard a crash and the sound of splintering wood. running into the room, they saw none other than Mammoth and Jinx, and Mammoth was laying on the floor with a broken baseball bat next to him. Jinx looked ready to kill the girl from earlier, who was clamly pulling another bat from her duffel bag. Jinx did a double take when they stepped through the door.

"First time in my life have I been glad to see enforcers of the law." She looked down at the floor, and Robin could have sworn she was blushing. "Is Cyborg alright?" She let out an audible breath when he said yes. "Let's get outta here. He's right on our tail." The girl looked at her sharply. "You mean to tell me you led him straight to us?!" Swiftly, she used the bat to smash out a window overlooking the fire escape, and she frantically began stuffing food and anything that could have been used as a weapon into her bag. In a couple of minutes she threw the bag through he window, and followed it a second later. She stuck her head into the window.

"Do what you want, but don't let him touch you. I'll light a candle for you tonight." And with that, she was gone.


End file.
